This Week at Elan

Visitor Centre

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

9:00am - 5:00pm

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Thursday, 24 May

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9°

Fri

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Sat

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Sun

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Nature Fund Open Day

Date:

2 years 12 months ago

The Elenydd Purple Moor Grass project is one of 19 successful Welsh Government Nature Fund projects. The Welsh Government's aim was that the Nature Fund projects would help respond to the challenges faced by the wildlife and habitats which were identified in the State of Nature report.

The Nature Fund is a mechanism to drive more joined-up and collaborative area-based action to improve the resilience of nature and continue to support our society’s needs. The focus of the fund was to tackle the decline in biodiversity and move to an approach that recognises the interdependency with social and economic factors. Over 460 ideas were submitted from a wide range of individuals and organisations but our project was lucky enough to be chosen.

The main focus of our project is controlling Molinia grass (Purple Moor Grass) and to produce an economically viable product while also achieving biodiversity benefits with habitat and landscape improvements.

The Elenydd Purple Moor Grass project will be hosting an Open Day on the 12th June 2015 which will highlight the issues created by the spreading Molinia grass and the methods this project has used in order to achieve the aims of biodiversity benefits and landscape improvement. Please book attendance via the Elan Valley Trust on info@elanvalleytrust.org or call 01597 810449.

A detailed itinerary is provided below:

10.00am - Arrival at Troedrhiwdraen Farm, LD6 5HS. Join Sorcha Lewis on a farmland habitats tour and discover the wildlife and wonders of the Uplands.
Sorcha has been the projects specialist in habitat and species surveys as well as an active partner exploring the re-introduction of cattle to an upland farm and the possible benefits.

12.30pm - Join Tony Davies at Henfron Farm, LD6 5HE, for a buffet lunch followed by an explanatory tour of the Biochar project.
Tony Davies has been the Lead Partner with the research into the manufacturing of biochar from Molinia. A specially designed kiln is used to make biochar by heating Molinia until most gases and oils are released and recycled into heat, this process is called Pyrolysis. The resulting biochar is a charcoal-like material which is applied to soil to improve the structure and yield of plants, this carbon rich biochar also stores carbon in the ground. The kiln and resulting products will be on show during the afternoon.

3.30pm - Finish and a safe journey home

Directions

Troedrhiwdraen Farm is accessed from the dam road between the dams of Pen Y Garreg and Craig Goch. If approaching from the Visitors Centre pass Pen Y Garreg Dam and Penbont tearooms following the road towards Pont ar Elan Bridge and the Aberystwyth mountain road. The gated farm drive is approximately 0.7miles from the top of Pen Y Garreg dam and is the second left hand access (first being Gwaelod Y Rhos forestry and car park). Please note the postcode will usually take you beyond the property and to a neighbours.

If accessing from the Aberystwyth Mountain road it is approximately a 4.3 miles (10 minute) drive from the junction past Craig Goch reservoir and dam (beyond where a SatNav postcode will take you) heading towards Pen Y Garreg. The farm junction is on a sweeping left hand bend with a farm track off to the right of the road.

Henfron Farm is accessed by crossing the Garreg Ddu (submerged) dam to the Claerwen Valley, and then taking the immediate right and following the farm track between the car park and reservoir. Follow the track up the hillside for approximately 1.3 miles and the farmyard is to your right.